BOYDS, Md. -- It was the result the Portland Thorns needed, yet it could've been so much more.

And despite scoring the Thorns' only goal, Alex Morgan left the Maryland SoccerPlex ruing the chances she didn't finish in a 1-1 draw against the Washington Spirit on Wednesday night.

"A 1-1 draw isn't the worst of things coming out of Washington after five games in two weeks," said Morgan after scoring her fifth goal of an injury-shortened season. "But for me personally, not putting away the amount of shots that I had, it just sucks on my part."

Jodie Taylor scored her 11th goal of the season for Washington (8-8-4, 28 points), which earned its first point off Portland (8-6-6, 30 points) in five all-time meetings from a match that was delayed one hour and 50 minutes for lightning.

The Thorns have still gone six matches unbeaten over a brutal 20-day stretch and remain in third place in the NWSL standings, with four matches left to hang on to one of the league's four playoff berths. Washington currently holds the fourth spot with a one-point lead over Chicago, which has played one less match.

"We just needed to make sure they didn't win the game tonight," said Thorns coach Paul Riley. "I think that was the most critical part, worrying about our position. Obviously, we've still got some tough games ahead of us, but so do they."

Now the Thorns fly back across the country to travel to league-leading Seattle where they may need to secure a positive result.

A victory here would've given the Thorns more margin for error. But Morgan says she isn't worried after this unbeaten run where Portland has scored 13 goals in two victories, but drawn four other matches.

"Although we are fatigued, this is the best we've looked all season," Morgan said of this stretch. "I think last time we played Seattle, we drew to them and we felt like we should've had the edge over them. So knowing that going into the next game, we feel really confident."

Morgan scored in the seventh minute when she reached Stephanie Catley's long diagonal ball ahead of Washington's center backs and lofted a first-time half-volley over goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris from about 24 yards out.

The lead could've been doubled in the 34th when Morgan again got behind Washington's back line, only to see Harris push the ball off her foot with an outstretched arm.

"There were so many things that I could've done," Morgan said of the chance. "And when you have no defenders around you and it's just 1v1 vs. the 'keeper, you're expected to put that away. And I didn't."

Taylor tied it for Washington in the 68th minute after running onto Diana Matheson's throughball and beating the offsides trap, according to the nearside assistant referee.

Taylor went right to round goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, and then sent her finish beyond the dive of the retreating Catley, who crashed into the goalpost during her attempted block.

"I think if she hit it any lower, I would've had it, because I ended up next to the post," Catley said. "Jodie's a fantastic finisher, and it seems like she hit the complete right spot."

Earlier in the second half, Harris palmed away Morgan's shot from the right in the 54th minute, and four minutes later Christine Sinclair mis-hit a difficult first-time finish after running onto Veronica Boquete's gorgeously weighted chip over the defense.

Then in the 64th, Sinclair took the ball off Morgan's foot and struck the near left post.

Morgan still had a chance to win it for Portland in the 78th when she forced Harris into a reaction kick save from just inside the penalty area.

Then Spirit sub Kerstin Garfrekes twice nearly stole three points for the hosts. She sent a 20-yard effort whizzing wide Angerer's right post in the 80th minute, and then in stoppage time missed just wide of the other post with a first-time volley after reaching Matheson's cross.